February 3rd, 1940 (SATURDAY)
UNITED KINGDOM:Minesweeper HMS Sphinx under the command of Cdr. John Robert Newton Taylor, was sweeping an area 15 miles north of Kinnairds Head when attacked by enemy aircraft. A bomb pierced the forecastle deck and exploding; destroying the fore part of the ship. She remained afloat and was taken in tow by HMS Halcyon but steadily flooded and capsized and sank at 57 57N 02 00W. The wreck was later washed ashore north of Lybster and was sold for scrap. The commanding officer and forty of the men were killed in the explosion. (Alex Gordon and Dave Shirlaw)(108)
FINLAND: In Soviet air raids 10 were killed and 14 wounded at Seinäjoki, and 34 killed and 38 wounded at Kuopio.
GIBRALTAR: After being stopped by a French auxiliary patrol vessel yesterday, the U.S. passenger liner SS Manhattan is detained at Gibraltar by British authorities.
ATLANTIC OCEAN:
At 0936, SS Reet was hit by one torpedo from U-58 and sank within four minutes. She was reported missing after leaving Methil on 31 January. The ship had been first spotted at 2035 hours the day before and was chased by the U-boat, which had missed with the first two torpedoes at 0215 and 0452 hours.